


Deprivation

by HobbitsofMordor



Series: Brothers Extras [2]
Category: The Secret Life of Pets (2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Drowning, Hurt/Comfort, Loss, Survivor Guilt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-01
Updated: 2016-10-02
Packaged: 2018-07-28 18:36:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 1,923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7652296
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HobbitsofMordor/pseuds/HobbitsofMordor
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Max runs out of air before he can get to the surface while saving Duke.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Oxygen

**Author's Note:**

> This is the second Extra, where Max dies instead of Duke. Max runs out of air because in this AU Snowball takes a little too long to get the keys to him. This of course gets rid of most of the Brothers story line, so this one will probably be about 5 chapters or less. BTW this is in Duke POV.

As we near the surface I notice Max's movements begin to get sluggish. He looks me straight in the eye with a look that makes me want to keep going, then his body goes limp. Just then, we break through the surface of the water.

"Max!" I bark.

As soon as I get a breath of air, I dive back under. I grab Max's body in my mouth, and return to the surface. I manage to pull the both of us onto a piece of floating wood. 

"Max?" I shake him. "Max! Come on! Wake up! This isn't funny..."

I hear Snowball hop next to me.

"This... isn't...funny!" I say, tears leaking from my eyes.

"Fat Dog..." Snowball begins.

"No!" I bark. "Don't say anything! This is your fault! If you hadn't taken so long with those keys, Max would still be alive right now!"

"I know..." he replies, sounding... hurt? "You know something, Fat Dog?"

"What?" I reply.

"I really did like Tiny Dog. You two had me fooled for a bit there with your story about killing your owners. Well... like is a strong word... I at least  _respected_ him. Just like I respect you."

"Yeah? Well I did, too. I... I never got the chance to tell him how sorry I am for how terribly I treated him... And now... He'll never know."

"Hey, he's in a better place now, awright?"

"I... don't think you actually believe that."

"Welp. You caught me..."

I look over at him, and am surprised to find a few tears dripping down his face.

"Max!?" I hear one of Max's friends yell. Oh! That's the one who asked if I was a boy dog or a girl dog...

"Max Max Max Max Max! Wake up! Come on!"

"Gidget..." One of the other dogs says.

"... he's gone..." Another one finishes.

Guess I'm not the only dog leaving this place broken.

Max... It's all my fault...


	2. Alone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hours have passed and Duke hasn't left Max's body.

Why? Why do I care so much!?  
We hated each other for most of the time we knew each other!  
Everyone else left not too long ago...  
Or maybe it was a long time ago. I just can't bring myself to care right now.  
"Alright, we got these dogs this time!" I hear a voice behind me. It's one of those animal control guys!  
I turn around and growl viciously.  
They turn and run away. A few moments later, I hear some small footsteps. They sound just like Max's did...  
"Max?"  
"No. It's just me..." the small white dog says. "I'm Gidget... I don't think I ever learned your name."  
"Duke..." I growl. "Can you go now?"  
"Hey! You hadn't known Max for nearly as long as I had! I... I loved him."  
"Go away!" I bark. "just... go away."  
The footsteps return.  
"Max! Duke!"  
I turn around and growl.  
Wait a minute... Katie?  
"Duke! What happened? Where's Ma-"  
I move out of the way of the body.  
"N-no... Max..."  
I quickly snuggle up to her.  
And I think I finally have my answer when I look at his body again.

It's because of the risk he took for me.  
The risk that took his life.  
The risk that shattered hers.  
And the risk that left me alone.

I thought I was alone before, but this?  
This is so much worse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By the way, I am currently trying to figure out how Katie discovering Duke's death will play out in Loss, so if anyone could provide some ideas, that'd be great.


	3. Katie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katie tries to comfort Duke while dealing with her own loss.

It's been about a week now.

I'm still so alone...

This is all Snowball's fault, but I just can't bring myself to blame anyone but myself.

Now that I think about it, it is entirely my fault.

If I hadn't yelled at Max back at my old owner's house, he wouldn't have walked away and been captured by the animal patrol. Then I wouldn't have needed to sacrifice my freedom.

I told him to go home...

But he came to save me, even after everything I did to him.

I wish I could have an attitude like that...

But if I could have any wish come true, I'd want Max to be sitting next to me, fully conscious, making some joke about how much better he is than me.

I would act offended, but laugh anyways.

"Oh, I miss him so much." I say, laying down on the floor.

I have refused to sleep on the dog bed ever since that day.

"Duke?" I hear Katie call, but stay where I am.

What's the point in moving? All I do is create problems for everyone else.

Katie walks up to me, and begins to pet me.

"Duke?" She asks again. "Can I see Max?"

I slowly unwrap myself from the body I took all the way here.

"Duke." She tells me, tearing up. "We're gonna need to bury him."

I growl at this.

I need to be reminded of my mistakes, and this is the only way I can think of.

"Duke. Max wouldn't want to see you like this. He would want you to be happy."

"Don't act like you know what he would do!" I bark, knowing she can't understand me. "You never understood a thing he said! Even when he tried to warn you about me..."

"Duke! Calm down boy! Okay, Max can stay for a few more days."

I don't care about his body.

I just wish I could see him again, or hear his laugh.

I just wish I could watch his antics with his friends.

I just wish I could watch him be completely oblivious to Gidget's flirts.

I just wish...

That I could stop hurting inside.


	4. Acceptance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Duke finally understands what Max did for him and why.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, everyone! The main reason I'm updating this right now is because I just set up a WordPress blog! I may or may not actually end up using it, but if I do, I may or may not end up posting chapters early! *wink wink nudge nudge*  
> Anyways, you can find it here:  
> hobbitsofmordor.wordpress.com  
> So yeah, enjoy the chapter.

Katie took Max's body somewhere a few days ago.

I'm kind of curious where, but try not to allow myself to think about it too much.

If I do, I might forget about my mistake...

Anyways, she told me we'll be having a funeral for him soon, just a small little thing for close friends and family of hers. She's inviting the owners of all of the pets Max used to hang out with.

"You'll be able to meet my parents and sister..." Katie tells me, tears flowing from her eyes. "Susie has a dog that looks just like Max... she just has different spots..."

I don't know if I want to meet this other dog. I don't know if I even want to go to this funeral...

No, I have to go. It's what Max would want... He would probably be so mad at me for how I've been acting over the past few days. Max knew he might not make it when he came to save me...but he did it anyways.

I can't let his sacrifice be in vain.

Max would want me to be happy.

If he was willing to give up everything, even Katie, who he cared about more than anything else, for me, then what choice do I have but to accept?

"Max..." I say to the air around me. "I understand now...and if you can hear me, wherever you are...I don't care if you don't think you deserve it...but I'm sorry. But I know that you're sorry...and I do deserve it."

And I swear I can hear him reply: "You're right, Duke. Ya know, you're alright."

"Right back at you, man..."

* * *

It's almost time to go...

Almost time to see Max for the last time...

But knowing what I now know, it will all be okay.

Because even though Max isn't alive anymore, he's still among us.

He still lives on. In our hearts.

Max doesn't have to be a dog. He can be a feeling, too.

That feeling every time I hear one of Buddy's bad jokes. That feeling whenever Tiberius tries to eat Norman and then acts like he didn't. That feeling whenever that embarrassing video of Chloe pops up. And that feeling when Pops miserably fails at calling us by our names.

All of those feelings are him. All of them are Max.

And in the end, that's all that really matters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> #CheesyDuke2016


	5. Funeral

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Max is laid to rest. Everyone mourns.

Here we are.

The end of the line.

I'll miss him so much.

The body of the dog I detested not even a month ago lays in a hole in the ground. All of his friends and their owners are gathered around it. Katie's family is here, too, and a dog that looks very similar to Max came with one of them.

Katie walks up to me with another woman.

"Hey, Duke..." She says. "This is my best friend Linda...she's the one who told me where to find Max."

I look up at her. They both look kinda unstable. Emotionally, I mean.

I can understand it. I am, too.

I know I'll never be able to replace Max in her eyes. But I also know that I can help her move on. I don't deserve this chance, because none of this would have happened if it weren't for me. But Max gave it to me anyways. He sacrificed everything for me, even after everything I did. So I have to help Katie. For his sake, and my own.

"Alright... I think it's time." Katie says.

She walks in front of the crowd. All of them go silent.

"Hello, everyone..." She continues. "I just want to thank you all for coming. I'm sure Max would really appreciate all of his friends bein g here. I know most of us don't talk too much, but I also know you're all good people. So thank you. Anyways, Max spent a lot more time with your pets than I did with you. Now, I kinda regret that. I would be happy to get to know all of you better. And maybe all of your pets can get to know Duke better. I know you're all busy people, so you don't have to stay much longer. It's time for all of us to say goodbye. One last time."

Everyone walks up to the hole and says a few words. I can't hear a lot of them, but I do hear a few voices I recognize.

"Max... I'm so sorry I wasn't there to help when you really needed it. I know I'm not usually much help, but I'm still sorry." I think her name was Chloe?

"Max, I hope that wherever you are now, it's better than here. Cuz everyone down here's hurting a bunch. So wherever you are...you have to try and be happy, okay? For our sakes. We're all with you! ...or at least, we will be. Eventually. Well, that's all I've got to say. Later, pal." The dachshund says. Don't remember his name at all.

"Maxy... I could have helped... I could have saved you... But I didn't. I'm sorry." Gidget? I think?

"I never met ya." The old basset hound mutters. "But all I heard about you were good things, Max. That's all I'm gonna say. It'd get too mushy otherwise."

Finally, Katie leads me to the dip in the ground.

"Max..." I say. "I know how terrible I was to you and how much we despised each other, but when we were in that sausage factory... Oh man! But I know that no matter what, after everything you sacrificed, you want me to have a happy life. I just hope that wherever you are... you can have one, too. Anyways, I just wanted to say...I'm sorry. Goodbye, bro."

And as I step down, I'm certain that Max is watching over me from somewhere else.

And just that thought makes me feel happy inside.

Because I finally know he forgave me.

And I'm not hurting inside anymore.


End file.
